Over the years there have been many great players who’ve graced the Premier League, making it the most enjoyable entertaining and exciting domestic competition in the world. Players such as Cantona, Shearer, Henry, Ronaldo, Fabregas and Franny Jeffers have given even the non-football lovers a reason to tune in to Match of the Day on a Saturday night as they show us how the beautiful game can be truly just that. There have also been another set of players though, throughout the years, men who may have footballing ability but also have the knack of causing most of us to scream in anger whenever they touch the ball. I’m talking about the sort of players who if your daughter brought them home, you’d wish she was a lesbian. Players we love to hate.
Now, not many of us actually know Premier League players on a personal level, but we can pretty much garner all we need to know about someone from their attitude on the pitch. Some players such as Paul Scholes for example, will never be truly hated, which is somewhat surprising considering he’s fouled every single Premier League player at least twice, because they just get on with the game in a quiet manner. However for every Paul Scholes, there’s a Robbie Savage, the sort of player that even some of his own fans struggle to find a fondness for. Here’s my own personal Premier League XI made up of players you’d rather glass, than have a pint with.
Click on William Gallas below to see the Most Hated Premier League XI of all time
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Compiled by Justin Mottershead
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Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp has warned his squad to be wary of complacency as the Bundesliga season nears a close.Dortmund have been the pacesetters for much of the campaign, and with four games remaining they have an eight-point lead over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen on top of the Bundesliga table.
But Klopp has warned his men against taking results for granted in the run home, with games against Borussia Moenchengladbach, Nuremberg, Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt still to come.
“That we are now eight points ahead, has of course our attention, but the season is not over yet and we looking forward to play the following games,” Klopp said.
“Of course, you can always worry if you want to, but the team made in any situation, even extreme situations, always a great impression – they are 100 percent focused.”
“For example in situations like the game against Leverkusen or Bayern, the team showed great force, so I was quite confident that they will manage the games fine.”
England head coach Fabio Capello has praised goalkeeper Joe Hart for the improvements he has made in his game in the last two years.
The 23-year-old Manchester City star is emerging as a regular first-choice for his country, having impressed in the 4-0 win over Bulgaria on Friday evening.
Capello stated:"I remember when I selected him two years ago he was not the same player. He did not have the same focus on games or training.
"He probably started to play in the first XI too early. He started to think 'I am the best'.
"You have to understand what happens in the mind of the young player. Sometimes it is this, but in two years he has come back.
"Joe Hart is a really good keeper. He improved a lot last year when he played at Birmingham. That was a really important period for him.
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After having a rather interesting conversation about football pundits, it got me to thinking – just how good / bad are the pundits we watch every match day? From the BBC to sky sports, programs such as Soccer Saturday have become a national institution, making the presenters and pundits either loved or hated by the public with a passion, yet after the shall we say ‘enforced by mutual consent’ change on Super Sunday and other match day coverage with the departure of Keys and Grey, is it time for a refresh of other panels to boot?
Now before outrage and shock is expressed, I would never advocate getting rid of host Jeff Stelling – since the world’s most excitable host produced a Hartlepool monkey in his joy at their result, Jeff will forever hold a place in my and the rest of the nation’s heart. Likewise Kammy – a better reporter for inside the stadium I have never seen – despite getting so excited he has to be reminded to use his words on occasion, Kammy along with Jeff should be here to stay for all of eternity.
That is not to say a shake up is a bad thing – look at how fresh Sky Sports coverage now is with pundits such as Gary Neville – love him or hate him, Gary is unashamedly biased and at least has an opinion that can spark debate, unlike Mr Magnolia himself, Ray Wilkins, who at most offers ‘John and Frank, I know them well, they’re good boys.’
Even Jamie my trousers are shockingly tight Redknapp doesn’t hold a candle to Jeff or Neville. Whilst Neville’s bias to United is slightly humorous, Redknapp’s unfailing ability to refer to ‘Frank being a quality player’ is getting more than a little tiresome – and I am a big fan of Lamps! Perhaps it is time to go back to the Thomas Cook adverts for Jamie!
Neville, for me, is the signing of the season for his face after the Manchester Derby alone – add to this the comments about David Luiz being controlled by a 10 year old on a play station – which sorry AVB but the only disservice I felt Gary did with that was to a 10 year old, they have some skill these days – he is worth his weight in gold to Sky Sports.
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Fans like and appreciate pundits with an opinion – look at the success of wind up merchant Robbie Savage – or the sheer amount of followers bad boy turned philosopher Joey Barton has on twitter. Opinions such as these are the ones that get people talking, not the monotone voice and ridiculous statements by commentators such as David Pleat and Graham Taylor, for whom stating the obvious must be the way he gets his bonus he does it so often ‘the thing Arsenal need to do here is score a goal’ Well someone’s earning their money Graham!
Likewise this season’s La Liga anchor, Scott Minto, who is either like watching paint dry or so biased they may as well rename Revista de la Liga to Me Gusta Barcelona, it is only Guillem Balague that keeps me watching the show. With Mark Bolton alluding to the fact he was let go after ahchoring for 6 years due to being anti-authoritarian and having an opinion, if sky want beige, they certainly got it with Scott ‘three bags full Minto’! None of this was as bad a decision as axing the Guapa feature however – a worse mistake I have not seen since the purchase of Veron.
Even though Paul Merson gets some flack, you have to admit it is amusing when he constantly pronounces player’s names wrong and gets teased by the rest of the panel. One of the things I genuinely enjoy when watching a soccer Saturday is the bond between the presenters and the banter they have – football focus is the Thursday night Channel 5 equivalent of Soccer Saturday, with a stale format and the moronic Garth Crooks taking a starring role. Much like offering the choice between Casillas or Roy Carroll, I know which one I would chose.
In the same vein that journalists with an opinion such as Martin Samuel or Henry Winter are becoming more and more popular with readers, the same can be said of pundits. We need more than the run of the mill stating the obvious ‘goals change games’ type pundit – we want enthusiasm, passion and heart, not to mention the occasional controversial comment to discuss in the pub or with friends.
That is why in my eyes, Neville and Savage are on their way to becoming national treasures as pundits, and I expect many more ex players who divide opinion to follow in their footsteps – and that can only be a good thing.
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Real Madrid playmaker Kaka is hopeful he can start to enjoy his football again after scoring a brace in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.The victory keeps Madrid’s hopes of snatching the title from leader Barcelona’s grasp alive, although they remain a relatively distant eight points behind their rivals.
Kaka, a World Cup winner with Brazil and former World Player of the Year, said he was indebted to the club for their perseverance with him despite his series of injuries that have hampered his playing time in Spain.
“I need to work hard to enjoy football again. The only problem was with my knee, which limited me from playing all out,” the former AC Milan star said.
“I need to work hard down the home stretch of the season. I hope to have fun playing football. I feel like I owe it to Real Madrid and the fact that I haven’t fulfilled expectations bothers me.”
Despite speculation of a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu, fuelled by coach Jose Mourinho’s preference for German midfielder Mesut Oezil, Kaka insisted he was happy working under the colourful Portuguese.
“I am grateful to Mourinho for everything he has done to help me. I have no problem with him whatsoever. He is a great coach and he is helping me grow as a footballer,” Kaka said.
Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka was thrilled with the Brazilian’s effort against Bilbao.
“Kaka played a great game,” said, Karanka, who was filling in for Mourinho at the post-match press conference.
“He looked good, especially after all the things that happened with him in regards to his injury.
“It is vitally important that Kaka is fit because there are important games coming up for us.”
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Iker Casillas insists his side are still in the title hunt.
The World Cup-winning goalkeeper, while admitting it would require a monumental effort to usurp Barcelona at the top, said such a feat was not beyond possibility.
“We are going to continue thinking about winning and earning points so that no one believe this league is over,” Casillas said.
“It will be hard to win, but you never know what can happen. One play or mistake can change everything.”
Financial chaos, new owners, a relegation scrap, a public lampooning of the players by David Sullivan and a change of manager kept up the East End club’s reputation for drama. Whether on or off the pitch West Ham is not a club which practises quiet self reflection. The installation of Avram Grant into the managerial hot seat and his subsequent recruitment drive would suggest an improved showing on last season is all but guaranteed. To record a third top half finish in four years would delight most Hammers fans. For once a season of relative mediocrity, which was bemoaned under Alan Curbishley, would suffice. In order to climb seven league places and avoid fears of relegation here are five things Grant could consider as he seeks to restore the club’s fortunes.
1) Play 4-3-3 at home
Grant has long been a fan of 4-5-1, a system he regularly employed at Portsmouth where Piquionne was the lone front man. Having recently toyed with a 4-3-3 formation in pre-season, fans will be hopeful of a more attacking approach particularly at Upton Park. Getting the ball down and playing neat, attractive football is the mantra of this traditional club. A 4-3-3 system would lend itself to a fluid, passing game which would create more chances for Carlton Cole who deserves better service. The two Davids pledged to make it more entertaining for fans to come and watch West Ham. With the purchase of Pablo Barrera and possible loan signing of Miralem Sulejmani, Grant may feel that he now has the players at his disposal to achieve this.
2) Retain the Services of Scott Parker
The midfield talisman was linked with a move to Spurs earlier this month but West Ham remain unyielding in their determination to keep him. The player fought tooth and nail to keep the Hammers in the Premier League last term making the fans eternally grateful. He is one of the few current players who has his name chanted by the crowd and is entering the best form of his career. The player is now adding goals and assists to his tireless defensive work. Grant has echoed the comments of Sullivan, recognising his importance to West Ham’s midfield. Giving him the captain’s armband would be a popular, if unlikely move.
3) Remind the owners who is in charge
The co-owners aided by Karen Brady rule the roost but Grant must have the final say on all footballing matters. The owners systematically undermined Gianfranco Zola and failed to win over the players. Their relentless diatribes to the media prompted a rare outburst from Luis Boa Morte who urged Mr Sullivan to have, “a bit more composure when talking to the press.” The board have backed Grant in the transfer market and have bestowed great praise on the former Chelsea boss. After working for the demanding Mr Abramovich and enduring the fiasco at Portsmouth, the two Davids may be small fry. He should be wary, however, that their passion for the club does not become interference.
4) Find the best defence and stick to it
During Zola’s first season in charge the club were watertight defensively but this deteriorated dramatically last year. For West Ham fans the positional sense and aerial strength of Matthew Upson was in doubt long before England’s humiliation at the hands of Germany. The club captain endured a frustrating season which afflicted the rest of the defence. Injuries were partly to blame but the back line changed too frequently last season and it showed as goals were continually conceded. Zola appeared unsure of his preferred option at left back following Herita Ilunga’s injury and his best central defensive pairing. Replacing James Tomkins at half time after an error in the club’s ‘shambolic’ defeat to Wolves only made matters worse. Grant has increased his defensive options but must decide on his best back line promptly.
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5) Give youth a chance
Another crop of talented youngsters are emerging at the Boleyn thanks to the diligent work of Tony Carr. Junior Stanislas, Jack Collison and Zavon Hines all made important contributions last season. The future looks bright for the likes of Frank Nouble, Freddie Sears, Josh Payne and Anthony Edgar too. However their playing time may be restricted after a recruitment drive which has seen five players join the club. In the best traditions of the club Grant should give chances to these players or risk impairing their development and commitment to West Ham. Rather than use the January transfer market he should turn to youth to give the squad a renewed impetus for the latter half of the season.
After the latest round of games in the Champions League, one thing is evident. Madrid and Barcelona have squads that are heads and shoulders above anyone else. Say what you like about City and their promise this season, but the fact remains that in Europe they simply have not done the business. United are also struggling, and lets not even go there with soon to be manageress Chelsea. The thing that is striking about these sides, and even Arsenal to a lesser extent is the money that has been spent on their squads over the last few years, and the question of if it has really meant success.
Don’t get me wrong, all the fore mentioned teams have frightening quality, and in the Premier League, it looks like being a two horse race between United and City, but with regards to the rest of the top four, does money really mean a great squad and an automatic place in the Champions League?
Look at the squad that has been complied by Harry Redknapp at Spurs – call him what you like, a wheeler dealer – it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Harry and Levy have managed to put together a squad of players who are more than capable of a top four finish – in fact a top three finish – and all on much less of a budget than London rivals Chelsea or even Arsenal down the years. Shrewd buys like Friedel and Parker have been much more successful than big money names like Torres or Mikel.
It even goes down to the amount spent on wages – when Spurs qualified for 4th place, they spent £56 million less on their wage bill than Liverpool – who did not even finish 5th that season – and have an all-round better structure in terms of finances – something that seems to be more attributable to Daniel Levy than anyone else.
Chelsea and Liverpool especially have spent big money on players who have not delivered of late – Torres and Carroll – and cannot claim to have a better squad than Spurs. In fact, they have less solidity at the back, less quality up front and both have less creativity in the middle of the park.
Any team in the Premier League would be hard pressed to claim a better midfield than Spurs, who have flare players in abundance and can change a game in a split second. Their streak of 8 wins in 9 games is no coincidence, and after the purchase of Parker, a steel was added to the heart of their team, and they have looked miles better for it.
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Likewise with Newcastle, who are serious contenders for a top 6 spot this season, a squad has been built without spending tens of millions – now don’t misunderstand I am not under the impression that Spurs or Newcastle get their players from poundland or the park across the way, I am merely making the comparison between their spending and clubs such as Chelsea, who cannot claim to have a much better squad.
Even United, who spent big in the summer are not that far away from Spurs now, and whilst City admittedly have the best squad in the league, they have spent hundreds of millions doing this, and are still struggling in Europe.
Yes, money is needed to an extent – the reason for Everton’s lack of progress is not a poor manager or bad players, it is simply a lack of funds to do anything at all – whilst hundreds of millions are not always needed for success, some amount of money clearly is, and Spurs have not been without this over the last few years – hence their progress.
It is the ability to do a lot with not that much that it commendable, and I read somewhere that if Arsenal were Barca lite, then Spurs are becoming a lesser version of Real Madrid – here I would differ. Both Real and Barca – although I am sure Rosell would attempt to state otherwise – have spend big in recent times, I would actually compare Spurs with Valencia.
The widely acknowledged ‘best of the rest’ in Spain for a number of years now, even winning the title under Benitiez and making strides in the Champions League. Valencia have a savvy manager in Unai Emery, and a good structure upstairs. They know that financially they cannot compete with the big two, and have sold Mata, Silva and Villa in recent years, yet still manage to somehow manage to remain competitive and challenge for, if not the title, everything else.
One thing that Spurs have managed to do this summer that Valencia could not – for financial reasons more than anything – was keep hold of their top and want away players. Levy stood firm over Modric and will repeat the process with Bale should Barca (who never spend a penny) come calling.
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It is this that could well see Spurs surpass Valencia’s achievements and challenge for the title in the near future, not to mention that the top two in England are much less daunting than the top two in Spain, and the quality in their squad, not to mention the potential plans for a new stadium could well keep Harry’s heart ticking for a long time to come – the investigation into his finances however not so much!
Yesterday evening, as Manchester City lost in the Europa League Round of Sixteen, I saw something I never expected I would ever see at a football match. I can only assume, due to the kick off being at the unusually early time of 6pm, that the man I witnessed eating soup at half time hadn’t had time to get home from work and eat something. So he had it at half time, instead. Since taking over the catering at Eastlands, Marco Pierre White has got a lot to answer for. Including the very latest chant of “Who ate all the Salmon Goujons with Wholemeal Crumb Coating, Sauté Potatoes and Fresh Garden Peas?”
I might have made that up.
But, while we’re talking about chants, it was nice to hear City’s latest adopted chant get another airing last night. Not only has it become a regular thing, taken on this season, but it’s starting to catch on, too, which is nice. I am, of course, being sarcastic about our new favourite song of “you’re not fit to referee.” Though that doesn’t quite push my sarcasm buttons as far in as “you’re worse than Clattenburg”, but that’s only ever wheeled out every other week, these days.
Don’t get me wrong, though. I do think that the referee from last night’s Europa League exit wasn’t great, but moaning about every decision given against City in every game and then singing one of the aforementioned songs is starting to get tiresome. There’s no agenda against City; there’s just some occasional instances of incompetence. Some weeks you’d think we’d lost.
And, having watched a fair few games from other leagues this season, I can say with some degree of confidence that, on a regular basis, we’re blessed with some of the best referees in this country. I think it was Lokeren vs. Racing Genk in the Jupiler Pro League where the standard of officiating went beyond abysmal and into the hilarious. You’ve not lived until you’ve seen a player booked (and concede a free kick) for being blatantly fouled.
Anyway, back to the point – because there is one. Somewhere.
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There’s been something of an overkill from City fans recently when it comes down to the officials. Singing every week that the referee’s not qualified to do his job, or that he’s worse than the one we have deemed the worst because of a bad game he had a while back, or that he does unsavoury things whilst alone in the privacy of his own home, it becomes more of a routine and it loses all effect.
Okay, so maybe last night was a poor showing: City players were booked for fair challenges, the referee fell for Dynamo Kiev’s diving antics and numerous ‘injuries’ that seemed to be miraculously cured about 90 seconds later (one even including a stretcher ride), there was a distinct difference in the awards of soft free kicks… He got the red card right, though. And didn’t give any unjust goals or rule out any fair ones… He just made us retake the odd free kick or two and didn’t award a foul throw.
But we can’t really blame anyone but ourselves for losing the tie; the second goal in the away leg was the really big killer and Lord alone knows what was going through Balotelli’s head when he decided to leave an impression on Popov. Literally.
In fact, Balotelli became quite the convenient excuse when he did the idiotic thing and made the molehill that City were facing a mountain. Between him and the referee, it does gloss over the fact that a lot of fans greatly underestimated our opponents. Kiev may well have gotten away with the oldest play acting in the book, but they did get themselves two goals and I suppose it’s a compliment to City that they resorted to the tactics they did in order to win the tie.
Though, if City are going to get anywhere, they’ll need to beat teams that play in that style – Kiev weren’t going to come and open the game up, especially not with a two goal lead, and sometimes the poorer teams will have to break the game up to get what they want. How else would Birmingham, Blackburn or Manchester United have taken a point back from Eastlands?
And, in fact, in all of the aftermath of the exit from the Europa League, we’re forgetting that a ten man City almost got what they needed to force extra time against a strong Kiev team. City played quite well and, on another night, would have got that second goal, and perhaps a third, too. It’s easy to forget that City were the only team left in the draw that hadn’t previously played in the Champions League.
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Some weeks, referees will have a poor game. Some weeks that will be at City. But this feeling with the referee cheating us out of matches or decisions is becoming obsessive. So much as a throw-in goes the wrong way and that could spark off shouts of a conspiracy. Every week.
Anyway, if there really was a conspiracy to stop City in their tracks, then whoever is behind it isn’t very good at it. Not with City in third place in the league and in an FA Cup semi final, at any rate.
Roberto Mancini has a dilemma on his hands. With Joe Hart saying he is willing to go out on loan again this season instead of being Shay Given’s understudy, Mancini has a big decision to make with regards to whom he decides to start in the Manchester City goal in the opening day fixture against Tottenham on August 11th.
Shay Given’s recovery from a shoulder injury suffered towards the tail end of last season is ahead of schedule and the Irishman looks set to be fit for the opening day clash with Spurs. Since his arrival from Newcastle, Given has established himself as City’s first-choice and one of the finest goalkeepers in the Premier League. He has amassed a great deal of experience, having spent almost 12 years on Tyneside where he earned his reputation as a top-quality goalkeeper despite playing behind a suspect defence. Given has also amassed 103 international caps with the Republic of Ireland, making him the joint most capped player along with Hull midfielder Kevin Kilbane.
During his career, Given has been known for being an outstanding shot-stopper with quick reflexes. However, he has come under scrutiny for the organisation of his defences as both Manchester City and Newcastle have had porous defences while Given has been in goal. There have also been questions about his ability to deal with crosses but Given’s reputation is such that these criticisms have hardly detracted from his stellar reputation.
In the face of the competition for places at Eastlands, Given has welcomed Hart’s challenge for his place in the City starting eleven but he believes his experience should allow him to edge out the challenge of Hart for the number one spot. Given has been quoted in the People as saying:
“It’s definitely good to have that rivalry now Joe is back at the club but at 34 I am an experienced goalkeeper and I don’t worry about an error costing me my place in the team.”
Joe Hart will be looking to prove Shay Given wrong.
Hart has recently returned to City following a highly successful loan move at Birmingham last season and is desperate to displace Given as Mancini’s first-choice goalkeeper. So much so that Hart has expressed his unwillingness to play Given’s understudy at Eastlands, saying to The Sun “it [playing backup] doesn’t really interest me if I’m honest. I’ve played a lot of football and that’s all I want to do.”
As a result of his impressive performances at St. Andrew’s last season, Hart earned himself a call-up to England’s World Cup squad in South Africa. While he didn’t feature for Capello in South Africa, Hart has aspirations of capturing the number one jersey from David James and this ambition would be severely damaged by a lack of playing time.
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Mancini has placed his faith in Hart’s dream by intimating that he also believes the England youngster could be “the first-choice goalkeeper for England for the next ten years” but admitting that he is unsure about which goalkeeper he will be starting this season.
Who do you think should start in the City goal, Hart or Given?
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When writing an article on why I felt Ronaldo was the best player in the world, just a shade ahead of Messi, it got me to thinking – exactly how had I come to this conclusion – yes I know many of you felt the only way I had come to this conclusion was wrongly, but how did you decide that? In fact, Ronaldo and Messi aside, exactly how do we define a top player? Is it one who can do it across the major leagues in Europe, or one who has been at a club for their entire career and has become a legend? Or do you measure a player by how many trophies they have won – either as an individual or as a team?
Obviously the first requirement for a world class player is talent. No amount of work ethic will make up for a complete lack of ability, and to be really special a player must be able to pull something out of the bag when their team needs it most. This might come during a Classico at the Camp Nou or on a tough night away at the Britannia – either way a top player can change tight games through that little bit of magic and that is what makes them just that little bit better than run of the mill players.
Take a Casillas or a Messi – when their team is struggling to find the break through, they are able to produce just that extra spark to inspire their team and either dig in for that result through a brilliant save or break down a tough defence through a little bit of magic that then wins the game.
All that being said, a top player must be willing to put the effort in, not just during the run up to big games, but everyday on the training ground. A lazy player does not make a top player, and it is the work ethic that can separate very good players from great players. Take someone like Frank Lampard- whilst a talented player, he is no Xavi, and would be the first to admit that, but Lamps has managed to build a career at the very top of the game over a sustained period of time and has done this through working hard on the training pitch day in day out, practicing free kicks, penalties and timing his runs into the box with precision. Beckham is much the same – yes there was ability, but it was work ethic and all those practice sessions that made his right foot such a game changer.
It is said work ethic that can win over a manager and fans alike, and especially in the Premier League, we appreciate players who try hard and wear their heart on their sleeves. A player does not have to be the creative spark or even the defensive rock to be a special player. Take Claude Makelele – a more understated player you could not find, yet without him both Real and then Chelsea realised what a huge gap the little French man left. It is players such as this, or a Scott Parker, who you may not notice at the time, but are the ones who can make all the difference. Just because they are not getting nominated for the golden boot or Ballon d’or, does not mean someone is not a top player.
Individual plaudits are not the be all and end all – it is easy for certain types of players to get overlooked if they are not that galactico in the team, or are around in an era of so many greats – most midfielders will pale in comparison to Kaka or Iniesta, and will not make individual award shortlists, but it does not mean that they are not what we should consider to be a top player. For years Cesc Fabregas has been over looked in both the Spanish national side and also when it comes to midfielder of the year awards because Xavi and Iniesta were ahead of him. Does this mean he is not a top player and you would not have him in your team – as Arsenal fans will testify, of course not.
Much the same, do we judge if someone is a top player on collective trophies they have amassed through their career – whilst some will say that a player is only remembered by the amount of major trophies they won, I suggest Alan Shearer and Newcastle fans would beg to differ. After a Premiership title at Blackburn and a subsequent move, Shearer did not win another major trophy at the magpies, yet is both remembered as a prolific goal scorer and a legend in Geordie land – a more loved player you will struggle to find.
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There are some players who just through sheer luck and timing can win a surprising amount of trophies – more than they really deserved to win, and all because they were at the right club during the right time. Look at Wes Brown and O’Shea – they were at United for years, and won more league titles than most, but does it mean that either of them are better than say a player like Stevie G or Carragher – who have never won a Premier League title? Does this mean they are not top players – of course not. You find me a person who would not have Gerrard at his peak in their dream team and I will show you a liar – or, like myself, a very biased Frank Lampard fan.
Many people believe that what can distinguish a player from the rest is their ability to perform at the highest level in the top leagues around Europe, and be able to not only handle say the physicality of the Premier League, but the technical level in La Liga and the tactical requirements in Serie A. Look at someone like Larsson, Rudd Van Nistelrooy or Henry – they can do it not just in one top league, but across Europe.
How often does a player come from Holland, or even Spain, and fail to acclimatise to the pace of the Premier League? People underestimate how hard it is going to a foreign country, to a different style of club and a different way of life – hell Fernando Torres couldn’t navigate a move from Liverpool to London.
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Certain players have a versatility about them, and can adapt to any league and any team and still perform at the highest level – look at Ronaldo. Other players simply can’t cope with the pace and physicality of the Premier League compared to say in Italy – look at Shevchenko. Of course you also have players who can’t cope in either England or Spain – take Mateja Kezman, who may have seemed to be a prolific goal scorer in native Holland, but anywhere else in Europe made him look like a one legged donkey on a bad day.
That being said, you will always get players who are more faithful to their clubs than their wives throughout their career, and as Ryan Giggs will testify, staying at one club for your entire career does not mean you are not a top player. In fact it can mean you are a very, very good player.
Giggs has won more throughout his career than anyone could dream of when starting out in the youth team, and more than deserves every trophy he has collected. To stay at the top of your game at such a big club and still manage to play every week despite the talent that is bought in means that you are indeed a very special player. Sometimes a dynasty at a club can mean more than a big money move or the chance of more titles, and certainly does not mean you cannot cut it in other leagues across Europe.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to tell you that because someone has been loyal to Rotherham their entire career and have stayed in the first team all that time that they could cut it at the San Siro, I think they might struggle, but I am trying to enforce the point that being at one club for a life time does not mean someone is less of a player than those who have experience in other major leagues.
Finally, to be a top player, more than a one season wonder is required, and when you look at players like Gary Neville or Zanetti, who remained at the very top of their game for so long, how can you say these players are not both consummate professionals and someone that you would give your right arm for in any first team? In an age filled with Carlos Tevez’ it speaks volumes that there are still professionals like Lampard around, and without a doubt, this more than makes someone a top class player.
So there you have it – all the requirements I think are needed to become a top player. Of course to be a top player it helps to have a special manager, and this is something that cannot be underestimated when looking at how far a player has come in their career. There are many factors that make a top player, and I’m sure you will have a couple more for me. Who do you think is a top player – and why? Comment below or follow me on twitter @RebeccaKnight01